Berry Global, Mars Inc. launch recycled content packaging

Evansville, Indiana-based Berry Global is partnering with Mars Inc., McLean, Virginia, to launch polyethylene terephthalate (PET) jars for the large-format sizes of its popular M&M’s, Skittles and Starburst treats. 

The easy-grip jars will come in 60-, 81- and 87-ounce sizes and include 15 percent postconsumer resin (PCR) while being lighter in weight. 

Berry is producing the jars at one of its manufacturing facilities, using a single-pellet, food-grade resin to ensure a clean, consistent substrate sourced from mechanical recycling. The company says the new containers will eliminate around 300 tons of virgin plastic per year, while the 81- and 87-ounce jars will save 374 metric tons of carbon dioxide due to a 10-gram reduction in their weight. 

The new jars are the latest initiative from Mars, which says it is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to design more sustainable packaging.   

“At Mars, we want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste, but is recycled, reused or composted,” Mars Wrigley North America Vice President of Research and Development Justin Comes says. “We have set an aggressive, science-based strategy to innovate our packaging and this change to 15 percent PCR for these large-format jars is a significant step towards a more sustainable future.”